IPL 2021: "Won't be surprised if some of the Indian players test positive in the UAE" - Aakash Chopra

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has stated that he won't be surprised if some of the Indian players, who flew in from the UK to the UAE for IPL 2021, test COVID positive in the next few days.

The BCCI has strictly instructed all players coming to the UAE from England to undergo a six-day quarantine. According to Chopra, though, considering the unpredictable nature of the virus, there is a chance of it hitting the IPL again.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra gave the example of assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar, who tested negative and then positive in a span of a few days.

"Even Yogesh Parmar tested negative at The Oval when the entire Indian contingent was tested after head coach Ravi Shastri’s positive COVID report. So, he remained in the same bubble with the Indian team and was treating the players. But after a few days, he tests positive. Now, a negative test at The Oval, and a positive test in Manchester...,” Chopra said.

"I won’t be surprised if some of the Indian players who were in England test positive in the UAE," he admitted.

The former cricketer added that it would be unfair to point a finger at only the IPL as a reason for the players refusing to play in the final Test.

Empathizing with the Indian cricketers, he stated that they were genuinely worried about everything that had transpired.

"Let’s spare a thought for Parmar and those in the bio-bubble with him. For us sitting outside, it is very easy to say this should have been done or that should have been done. But those inside the bubble would have been thinking - I have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the past few days.

"There is a chance I might get it or it could spread to my family as well,” Chopra said, while backing India’s decision.

"Players are undergoing hard quarantine ahead of IPL 2021, there's real fear" - Akash Chopra

Chopra pointed out that the BCCI asking players coming in from the UK to undergo a hard quarantine of six days before joining their IPL franchises proves that fear of the virus spreading is genuine.

"It is a very strange situation that we are in. I don’t think it (the cancelation) happened just because of the IPL. Players are undergoing a hard quarantine of six days in the UAE for the danger of spreading of the virus to be neutralized.

"There’s a real fear. That’s what Dada (Sourav Ganguly) said - the players were scared and that’s why they didn’t want to play. You cannot push them beyond a point."

"The players refused to play but you can't blame them. Physio Yogesh Parmar was such a close contact of the players." - BCCI President Sourav Ganguly (To The Telegraph)

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) September 13, 2021

The first half of IPL 2021 in India had to be halted due to COVID-19. The second half will now resume in the UAE from September 19.